Page 27 of Orange Spell
Marlin wondered who knew.If he had to guess, Curran’s best friend definitely did.There was nothing Curran did or said that Deryn wasn’t involved in.It was good that Curran had someone to talk about these things to, but Marlin couldn’t help but feel jealous.He should be the one Curran talked to about their child.
“Stop staring at my stomach,” Curran hissed as they started walking.
“I wasn’t.”
Curran glared.“You definitely were.Look, I haven’t told anyone.Birch doesn’t know, and neither do my mothers.I don’t want them to find out through gossip.”
“Someone’s going to notice eventually, if they haven’t already,” Marlin pointed out.
“And when they do, I’ll deal with it.I know I won’t be able to hide the pregnancy for much longer, and I’m not planning to.I just want to get through this first.”
It was a legitimate request, and Marlin needed to stop making Curran uncomfortable.
He raised his gaze and kept it ahead of himself until they reached Killian’s office.Tito was at his desk, typing something on his computer.He barely looked up, used to Marlin and Birch coming back and forth.They were the only ones who never had to ask if they could go into Killian’s office.If Killian was with Hedley, Tito usually mentioned it so they knew what they might be interrupting, but he didn’t say anything now, so Marlin didn’t hesitate to push open the door after quickly knocking.
Killian was behind his desk, frowning at something on his computer screen.Birch was sitting on the other side of the desk, doing something on his phone.He looked up when he heard the door, his mouth already opening to say something.He snapped it shut when he saw Curran and frowned, but that only lasted for a few seconds.His eyes widened, and Marlin knew that Birch had noticed what he’d noticed when Curran had come into his room.
Curran definitely couldn’t hide the pregnancy anymore.
“What the fuck?”Birch breathed out as he shot to his feet.
Marlin understood where his best friend was coming from.It was a miracle that no one had noticed yet, especially Birch, who’d talked to Curran just now.
Marlin raised his hand.“Pearl approached Curran,” he declared to get Birch’s attention.
For a moment, everyone in the office was silent.Curran leaned sideways until he was so close to Marlin that their arms brushed together.It was almost as if he needed protection, but no one in the room right now would even think about hurting him.
“What did my sister want?”Killian asked.
Curran cleared his throat and glanced at Marlin, who nodded at him.He could tell Killian everything Curran had told him, but it would be better coming from Curran.He might remember something he hadn’t told Marlin yet, and even if he didn’t, Killian would have questions that Marlin couldn’t answer.
“She heard me fighting with Birch in the dining hall.When he left, she approached me and acted worried about me.”Curran recounted everything that had happened with Pearl again.Marlin listened, but Curran didn’t say anything new.
“It sounds like she thinks you’re afraid of or intimidated by your brother,” Killian said as he leaned back in his chair.
“She made it sound like I was afraid Birch would hurt me.As if I would let him,” Curran said, sounding annoyed.
“If one of my bodyguards and closest friends is a violent person, it wouldn’t reflect well on me,” Killian said.“It might even make some people think that I’m just as violent as Birch.”
“Can we not talk as if I regularly beat my little brother?”Birch asked.“Pearl doesn’t actually think I hurt Curran.She’s just fishing and trying to find an in.She can’t come to me or Marlin, obviously, so what’s the next best thing?Hedley’s out of reach, as are your kids.That leaves our families.Aaron would never listen to her, and she knows better than to try approaching our parents, but Curran?He’s young.He’s impressionable.”
“He’s going to kick your ass,” Curran grumbled.
“No, you’re not because you’re freaking pregnant,” Birch snapped at him.
Marlin could see where this was going, and they didn’t have time for it.“What Pearl thinks doesn’t matter.What she’s trying to do does, though.”
“Well, I’m not going to let her get close to Killian,” Curran said as he crossed his arms over his chest.“She can fuck off if she thinks I’d hurt my brother or the king.”
Marlin agreed, but he was wary.“But she thinks she has something.That means she’s not going to let this go.”
“I’ll just ignore her.It’s not like we see each other often, anyway.”
“Do you really think you can ignore Pearl?”
“I can try.She’ll get the message eventually.”
Marlin wanted to kiss Curran.He knew how scared he had to be, yet he was willing to tell a powerful dragon to fuck off for his brother and his king.
